1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interface device, and more particularly to an interface device for coupling processor or microprocessor control units to network systems or facilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical network systems or facilities, such as the local area network (LAN) facilities, the wireless local area network (WLAN) facilities, the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface devices, the universal serial bus (USB) interface devices, etc., may include one or more radio frequency (RF) antennas for telecommunication purposes.
The typical network systems or facilities may further include an integrated circuit or a chip provided therein and coupled to the antennas for processing the data or signals or information. One example of the integrated circuits or chips is the ACX100 series integrated circuits manufactured by Texas Instruments Incorporated.
In addition to the ACX100 series integrated circuits, the typical network systems or facilities further include a central processor unit (CPU), or a microprocessor control unit (MCU) provided therein and coupled to the integrated circuit or chip, for processing or transmitting the data or signals or information.
However, various kinds of MCUs that may be obtained from the market are manufactured and sold by various or different companies, such as the X86 series MCUs, the ARM series MCUs manufactured by ARM Inc. at Los Gatos, Calif., the MIPS series MCUs manufactured by ARM Inc. at Mountain View, Calif.
The MCUs normally may not be directly coupled together, or are not compatible with each other, such that additional coupling or connecting circuits or facilities are further required to be provided and coupled between the MCUs and the ACX100 series integrated circuits, for allowing the LAN or WLAN to be workable.
In addition, the antennas, the ACX100 series integrated circuits, the MCUs, and the additional coupling or connecting circuits or facilities are solidly disposed in a single housing and coupled together, and should all be discarded when either of the ACX100 series integrated circuits, the MCUs, or the additional coupling or connecting circuits or facilities has been damaged. It may cost a lot of money or fee to repair or to maintain the elements of the LAN or WLAN facilities.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional interface devices.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an interface device for coupling processor or microprocessor control units to network systems or facilities.
The other objective of the present invention is to provide an interface device for reducing the maintenance fee for the MCUs, and the integrated circuits.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a network facility comprising a processor unit including a data bus and an address bus, an interface device including a data unit and an address unit coupled to the data bus and the address bus of the processor unit respectively, and a network device including an antenna, and an integrated circuit coupled to the antenna and coupled to the interface device. The interface device may include a chip selecting unit coupled to the integrated circuit of the network device, for accessing to the integrated circuit of the network device, and for allowing the processor unit to send chip selecting signals to the integrated circuit of the network device. The interface device may further include a writing control unit coupled to the integrated circuit of the network device, for allowing the integrated circuit of the network device to send out signals to the processor unit via the interface device. The interface device may further include a reading control unit coupled to the integrated circuit of the network device, for allowing the processor unit to send out signals to the integrated circuit of the network device via the interface device.
The interface device further includes a waiting unit coupled to the integrated circuit of the network device, for sending waiting control signals to the processor unit, and for controlling the processor unit in a waiting state, when data or information communication between the integrated circuit of the network device and the processor unit is busy.
The interface device further includes a reset unit coupled to the integrated circuit of the network device, for sending resetting signals to the processor unit, and for allowing the processor unit to send chip selecting signals to the integrated circuit of the network device again.
The interface device further includes an interrupting unit coupled to the integrated circuit of the network device, for sending interrupting signals to the processor unit, and for interrupting the processor unit.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.